Dominion to start Cove Point LNG exports early March

Dominion Energy said Monday it expects to start exporting liquefied natural gas from its Cove Point terminal in Maryland, the second US facility to produce LNG from shale gas, in early March.

Dominion introduced feed gas to the 5.25 mtpa liquefaction facility in December with the first tanker arriving shortly after that for cool-down operations. The facility was previously expected to start shipping LNG last month.

The company said in its fourth-quarter earnings presentation that the liquefaction facility is in the final stages of commissioning.

It added that the cooling down operations at the plant are ongoing in order to produce first LNG.

Domion previously received authorization from the US Department of Energy to export commissioning cargooes from Cove Point.

When commissioning is complete, Dominion’s LNG export facility will produce the chilled fuel for ST Cove Point, the joint venture of Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation and Tokyo Gas, and for India’s GAIL under 20-year contracts.

The $4 billion Cove Point facility will be the second US exporter of LNG sourced from shale gas.

Houston-based LNG export player Cheniere became the first in February 2016 when its Sabine Pass liquefaction plant shipped its first cargo to Brazil.